[L-arginine in reperfusion solution as a heart protecting factor]

Ischemia-reperfusion damage causes injury to both cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. Loss of endothelium function and degeneration of cardiomyocytes can significantly deteriorate postoperative efficiency of cardiac muscle and in this way can threaten patients' life. The goal of the study was examination how addition of L-arginine to the reperfusion solution influences development of ultrastructural exponents of cardiac muscle injury during reperfusion.

The study was conducted with the use of isolated rat's hearts (Wistar strain), undergoing 20-minute introductory perfusion, 30-minute cardioplegic pause, and then reperfusion conducted on non-working and working heart model, with (study group) and without (control group) the use of L-arginine.

Microscopic exponents of injury in cardiomyocytes were most pronounced in the control group. After addition of L-arginine to the reperfusion solution, the decrease in the number of construction points, reduction in overhydration of intra- and extracellular spaces, with diminishing of endothelium vessels' pinocytic activity and decrease in the degree of sarcolemma plication were observed in the study group in comparison with the control group. Increasing of L-arginine doses enhanced slightly its protective activity on the ultrastructure of cardiac muscle.

Addition of L-arginine to the reperfusion fluid protects cardiomyocytes and endothelium vessels. These positive changes are not recorded in all cardiac muscle specimens.